Hundreds of Chassidim from the Crown Heights community and beyond gathered on a Sunday night at 770 Eastern Parkway to fulfill the Rebbe’s directive to gather during the Hakhel year.
By Anash.org reporter
Photos: David Katash/Anash.org
Hundreds of Chassidim from the Crown Heights community and beyond gathered on a Sunday night at 770 Eastern Parkway to fulfill the Rebbe‘s directive to gather during the Hakhel year.
The program began with reciting the Rebbe’s kapitel led by a chayol in Tzivos Hashem Yehoshua Bruchshtat.
Rabbi Nota Shpigelman, a veteran mechanech and rebbi in Oholei Torah, masterfully moderated the evening. He spoke about the significance of Hakhel as the only mitzvah encompassing the entire Jewish nation, including men, women, and children.
Rabbi Naftali Silberberg, director of JLI’s curriculum department, spoke about how the mitzva of Hakhel is primarily on the King, who is responsible to gather all the people to strengthen their Yiras Hashem.
Rabbi Silberberg further stressed the significance of this mitzvah to the Rebbe – the Melech, and how each of us has the responsibility to help the Melech by being inspired to grow in our Yiddishkeit.
The Rebbe taught us that each person is a Melech in their area, be it their home, their workplace, or elsewhere. We must utilize our influence to gather Jews for the sake of increasing in Torah and Mitzvos.
Rabbi Yossi Paltiel spoke about how Hakhel affects every Yid at the core of their Neshama which is deeper than all divisions. Simultaneously its ultimate purpose is to strengthen our yiras shomayim, our practical performance of all mitzvos.
As no Hakhel is complete without the participation of the ‘taf‘, a special video presentation for children by My Maor was also played.
“This gathering was arranged with one thing in mind, gathering to fulfill the Rebbe’s hora’a for Shnas Hakhel,” said organizer Rabbi Mendel Gerlitzky. “We hope that in this zechus we will merit the ultimate Hakhel gathering led by our Rebbe in the Bais Hamikdash.”
At the conclusion of the event, organizers announced plans to continue these Hakhel gatherings every single month until the end of the year.
“We specifically chose to hold it on a ‘regular’ day, not a yomei depagra, to emphasize that this gathering is a Hakhel for the sake of Hakhel,” another organizer told Anash.org
Besides the hundreds who filled the benches of 770, hundreds more joined online via Anash.org’s exclusive media broadcast. Anash.org is a proud media sponsor of the event.
WATCH FULL REPLAY:
Discussion
In keeping in line with the Rabbonim's policies for websites, we do not allow comments. However, our Rabbonim have approved of including input on articles of substance (Torah, history, memories etc.)
We appreciate your feedback. If you have any additional information to contribute to this article, it will be added below.